The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-09-24
SHEEP HusRANpRY.
Feeding Economies That Can Be Studied
With Considerable Profit.


with Considerable Profit.
BY the depression in sheep and wool
matters there has come a necessity for
close economics in sheep husbandry
altogether new. Never before have
shcep-rnen put more system and care
full study into the business than now.
1t has been only this which has kept
the business from widespread aban-
donment. Not only have better sys-
TENS of pasturage been practiced than
were ever practiced before, but straw
is being utilized as a general ration for
sheep.
Peas, Leans and bean haulm are fed,
aud some foreign Russian fodder plants
have been introduced, all of which
promise to be real acquisitions to the
sheep-raiser. A more general use has
also been made of roots than formerly.
Beets, rutabagas. mangel-wurzels, tur-
nips and even potatoes and carrots
have been fed 10 sheep with marked
benefit. Brewers gains, gluten from
the glucose factories, oil cake and cot
ton-seed meal, have been found valu-
able in connection with coarse hay and
wheat straw, which hitherto have been
esteemed valueless alone or even in
connection with corn, which has been
looked upon in many regions as the
natural feed for all animals, as well
as sheep Corn has been so cheap
and so easily fed that we
have used it to real detriment. In the
Middle States the free use of corn has
been measurably lessened for breeding
ewes. Acareful study of the question
has convinced many of the bad econo-
mics we have been practicing. Hay
was once considered to be not suffi-
Gent feed for wintering sheep. They
had to have grain and that grain had
to be corn. Now hay alone, or hay
and corn-fodder. are esteemed proper
and sufficient feed for a flock of store
sheep, and for breeding ewes as well
until near the weaving time. There
| are men who make success OF sheep
raising who do not feed a ton OF tame
hay to their sheep in year. Not
because they think straw, pea
| hay, corn-stalks with roots and
| some oats and wheat bran, to be fal
| more suitable and economical feed.
| From these methods have come more
health, yigor and profit than we know
of under the old systems of feeding
sheep. Blue grass pastures. which
have been the pride and aspiration O.
stockmen, have been by some replaced
by new seedlings every two or three
years of timothy, red clover, alsike
red top and orchard grass, as well a
other mixtures of grasses and clovers
The use of old pastures has been aban
doned by many stockmen. Soils are Sc
different that what may be so highl.
esteemed in one locality, in another
wise, observing men reject
There are differences in this direction
that many will wonder ut, that, never
the, css they plainly exist, no ANNA
relishes a variety and change of fec'
and pasturage rs does sheep This ha
not been carefully considered, as
should be and is now to a considerabl
extent. There are ailments with shee]
the cause of which may be directl.
charged to our false ideas of care am
feed. We have all awakened to tn
conclusion that corn, corn, corn ha
caused the hog plague. We have con
cluded that any one feed was wronI
for hogs and men, but never though
how nearly we keep sheep on the sam
system. A blue grass pasture alone ha
been the perfect ideal of summe
sheep range. We have known that tn
sheep will nip every weed briar, bus
and green thing they come in contae
with every day, but we hay
failed to notice why. 1t is the dc
mand they feel for change of feet
On the range fockmastcrs notice som
days that sheep will insist upon takin
,, one route from the corral and anothe
! day quite different one; that one da
they wall be determined to visit Gel
tain water hole and another far MOI
distant but different one. The re;
son is plain to us that they know whi
they want and where it is. Some day
they 90 to the hills and some days
the level lands. We call it notion {
theirs, but when we think we know
is the desire for variety. We can prof
ably study these matters. There
much to learn of the habits and san
J tary needs of our sheep. Far
U and FIreside.